The Italian built N.I. was christened the Norge March 29, 1926. The ship was destined for a polar flight under the sponsorship of the Norwegian Aero Club. The Norge was based at king's bay, Spitzbergen, and left for the North pole May 11, 1926. At 1:30 AM on May 12, 1926, the Norge reached the north pole. After circling the pole, she left for Alaska. The ship finally landed in Teller, Alaska, some 55 miles from the intended destination of Nome. The semi-rigid ship was powered by three 250 HP engines and had a cruising speed of 50 MPH. Other dimensions were Length - 348 Feet, Gas Capacity - 550,000 Cubic Feet. The Norge was the first aircraft to make a successful over flight of the North Pole. |